The Spaniard has spent recent weeks warming the bench as his team-mates have reeled off win after win.

Last night he decided it was time to join the party.

Sunderland had proved stubborn opponents, just as Conte predicted, and the Black Cats were five minutes away from going in at half-time level when Fabregas stamped his class on proceedings.

Taking a Pedro ball in his stride, he skipped past Jan Kirchoff and after swapping passes with Willian, stroked a sublime right-foot shot between Jordan Pickford's outstretched hands and left-hand post.

The Premier League's bottom club should have equalised two minutes after the restart when Jermain Defoe fed the overlapping Adnan Januzaj inside the box but the Manchester United loanee's shot was turned behind by Thibaut Courtois.

Chelsea fans praise Cesc Fabregas after goal against Sunderland

CESC FABREGAS scored a well-worked goal for Chelsea tonight - and Blues fans want to see him in the line-up more often.